Azerbaijan urges faith leaders to promote moderation, coexistence
Officials say strengthening spiritual and moral education is increasingly important in an era of globalization, rapid information flows and eroding values
BAKU, Azerbaijan (MNTV) — Religious leaders serve not only as guides for worshippers but also as key voices in shaping social values and promoting moderation, Azerbaijan’s top official for religious affairs said Wednesday at a national forum in Baku.
Ramin Mammadov, chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, told the second Forum of Religious Figures of Azerbaijan that strengthening spiritual and moral education has become increasingly important in an era marked by globalization, rapid information flows, and eroding traditional values.
Mammadov said such efforts do not contradict Azerbaijan’s secular system but rather complement it, noting that hundreds of state-registered religious organizations representing different faiths operate on equal footing in the country. He said the government has pursued consistent educational and ideological initiatives to support this approach, calling it a factor that enhances Azerbaijan’s democratic and tolerant image internationally.
Mammadov added that authorities have worked to promote the country’s state-religion model abroad and to expand cooperation with international organizations and think tanks, positioning Azerbaijan as an example of successful secular governance alongside religious pluralism.
Also addressing the forum, Safi Arpagus, chairperson of the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs, called for closer cooperation among religious institutions as global instability deepens.
“The chaos in the world is increasing every day,” Arpagus said, citing ongoing conflicts, particularly in Palestine. He said building peace based on stability and prosperity requires joint initiatives by religious institutions and affirmed that Turkey is ready to cooperate with partners in this effort.
The forum, held under the theme “Constitutional principles of state-religion relations in Azerbaijan: secularism and freedom of conscience,” concluded Wednesday after bringing together more than 100 religious leaders from various faiths, along with government officials, teachers from religious institutions, theologians, and specialists.
Organizers said the gathering aimed to promote constitutional values, clarify the rights and responsibilities of religious leaders, support their professional development, and examine the legal and cultural aspects of state-religion relations to strengthen Azerbaijan’s multicultural environment. Panel discussions focused on cultural aspects of state-religion relations, the responsible use of technology in multicultural societies, and strategies to counter religious radicalism.
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